


Cause I’m A Fuckin’ Mess Sometimes

by NcityStories



Series: NCT [1]
Category: NCT (Band), WayV (Band)
Genre: Alpha Jung Yoonoh | Jaehyun, Alpha Lee Jeno, Alpha Mark Lee (NCT), Alpha Nakamoto Yuta, Alpha Suh Youngho | Johnny, Alpha/Beta/Omega Dynamics, Alternate Universe - Vampire, Beta Huang Guanheng | Hendery, Beta Huang Xuxi | Lucas, Human Moon Taeil, Human Park Jisung (NCT), Human/Vampire Relationship, Lee Donghyuck | Haechan-centric, M/M, Mark Lee (NCT)-centric, Mpreg, Omega Liu Yang Yang, Omega Na Jaemin, Omega Xiao De Jun | Xiao Jun, Original Character(s), Polyamory, Vampire Bites, Vampire Chittaphon Leechaiyapornkul | Ten, Vampire Dong Si Cheng | WinWin, Vampire Huang Renjun, Vampire Hunters, Vampire Kim Dongyoung | Doyoung, Vampire Kim Jungwoo (NCT), Vampire Lee Donghyuck | Haechan, Vampire Lee Taeyong, Vampire Qian Kun, Vampire Zhong Chenle, Vampire/Wolf Relationship, Vampires, WayV - Freeform, human/wolf relationship
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2020-07-08
Updated: 2020-08-18
Packaged: 2021-03-04 21:01:45
Rating: Not Rated
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 2
Words: 8,586
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/25152877
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/NcityStories/pseuds/NcityStories
Summary: Mark Lee wants nothing more than to meet his mate and start a family. As Head Alpha of his pack, he needs to produce an heir. What happens when he finds out that Lee Donghyuck, Vampire Coven Leader, is his mate?
Relationships: Lee Donghyuck | Haechan/Mark Lee, The Rest TBA
Series: NCT [1]
Series URL: https://archiveofourown.org/series/1822111
Comments: 20
Kudos: 147





	1. The Beginning

**Author's Note:**

> I'd like to give a quick shoutout to everyone who helped me with this fic. I hope you like it! As always, please leave a comment and let me know what you think. I always accept constructive criticism.

Introduction Part 1 - Mark

If you asked Mark how he thought he’d meet his mate, he’d tell you that he was secretly hoping for something ridiculously cute to happen. Maybe their eyes might meet from across the room. Perhaps they would be introduced to each other through mutual friends and instantly fall for one another. It didn’t truly matter to Mark, though. Just as long as he had his mate by his side, that’s all that mattered to him. He just wanted to love and be loved. He wanted someone he could confide to. Someone who would love him as unconditionally as he would love them. Boy or girl, it didn’t matter. He just wanted someone to love. 

_**MARK** _

It was raining the day that Mark caught his scent. He had been rushing to his car in the parking lot after finishing a grueling shift at the Rose Cafe when he passed him. He was looking down at the floor with a hand over his hair as he walked towards the cafe Mark had just exited. He was dressed in business casual clothes and his hair was a dark purple and his skin was the color of honey. Mark whirled around to confront him when he noticed the man was no longer there. Frantically scanning the surrounding area, hoping to catch a glimpse of the mysterious stranger who smelt like honey and sunshine, but there was nothing. Mark’s heart sunk in his chest as he stood there. He rushed back into the cafe but there was no trace of the scent. The hostess (and his friend), Ryujin, called out his name as he whipped around, seeming concerned. He turned to look at her blankly before shaking his head, earning a sad and confused look from the hostess. It takes him a few minutes before he finally manages to turn and slowly trudge his way back to his car. He spends the entire drive wondering if he had just imagined the stranger and the smell, but it had imprinted in his mind. 

When he arrives at his building, he takes his time to his way up to the apartment. He didn’t know if his roommates were home, and really? He was hoping they weren’t. Unfortunately, luck just doesn’t seem to be on his side. Jeno and Jaemin are cuddled up on the couch, watching what looked to be like the Titanic movie (Mark isn’t sure, he hasn’t seen it in a while). It shows that they know something is wrong as soon as they look up at him. Jeno leaves the room, and Jaemin walks towards him slowly. He stood in front of Mark for a moment before opening his arms for a hug. Mark nodded his head and Jaemin engulfed him in the most soothing hug he had ever received. 

Jeno came back with a towel and a clean hoodie. Jaemin dried his hair as Jeno helped him remove his wet shirt and replace it with the hoodie. Mark stood there silently the entire time. He didn’t understand why he was reacting this way. Jaemin guided him to the couch and Jeno wrapped him in a blanket. It was then that Mark noticed he was shivering. A tear streaked down his cheek and Jaemin wiped it away. He brought Mark’s head forward and rested it on his shoulder. It was then that Mark let go and sobbed. He sobbed as Jaemin comforted him and Jeno rubbed soothing circles on his back. He sobbed as lightning streaked by and thunder boomed. He only stopped crying when the rain settled into soothing drips and thunder no longer boomed for attention. Jeno brought him a cup of hot chocolate as he sat up straight. 

“Mark?” Jaemin whispered. Mark looked up at him with swollen eyes and tears streamed down his face. “Mark, what happened?” He asked softly. Mark took a deep breath, releasing the breath through his nose. 

“I smelt him.” He croaked out. His voice was hoarse and soft. He took a long drink of hot chocolate before speaking again. “I smelt my mate.” Jaemin gasped and Jeno’s eyes widened. They exchanged a glance before turning their attention back to Mark. 

“You met your mate?” Jeno asked. Mark shook his head.

“No,” He whimpered, voice raspy. “I only smelt him as I passed by him on the way to my car. He was gone by the time I looked back to try and talk to him.” Mark shuddered. “He had to have smelt me too. Does he not want me?” Mark let out the smallest whimper as tears slowly filled his eyes. Jaemin brought him closer for another hug as Jeno sat there completely still. It took Mark another hour before he fell into a fitful sleep. Jeno sighed and carried him to his and Jaemin’s bed. 

“You should stay with him,” Jeno said to Jaemin. Jaemin nodded.

“What about you?” Jaemin asked.

“I need to go call Yoonoh Hyung. Mark needs him right now.” Jaemin nodded again. Jeno turned and made his way to the front of their building and pulled out a pack of cigarettes. He lit one and inhaled as he raised his phone to listen. 

“Hello?” Yoonoh answered. Jeno could hear what sounded like a party in the background.

“Yoonoh Hyung, it’s Jeno.” Yoonoh laughed. 

“I know, Jeno. I have your number saved.” Jeno let out a small chuckle. 

“Oh, yeah.” A sigh. “Anyways, I need you to come over. It’s Mark.” Jeno could hear Yoonoh leaving the building he was in. He heard the honk from a car and the jangle of keys. He knew Yoonoh would be on his way the moment he mentioned Mark.

“What happened?” He demanded. Jeno let out another sigh.

“He met his mate and-”

“He WHAT?”

“Met his mate and-”

“Where? When? What’s wrong?”

“Hyung! Let me talk!” It went silent. “He didn’t actually meet him. He passed by him and got a whiff of his scent. He said that when he turned to look at the guy, he had disappeared. I don’t know what to make of it, but he’s really upset right now. He’s with Nana resting but he’ll need you when he wakes up.” Jeno let out a sigh but it wavered. “He-” Jeno took a deep breath. “He cried for hours, Hyung.” He whispered. “Mark never cries but he cried so much. I just want to kill this guy but I know that would hurt him even more.” It was silent for a moment. 

“I’m on my way, Nono.” Jeno smiled at the nickname he hadn’t heard since he and Jaemin were kids. “I’ll be there in ten. Hang on, alright?” Jeno nodded despite the fact that Yoonoh couldn’t see him. The line went dead and Jeno took one more drag of the neglected cigarette before throwing it on the floor and snuffing (?) it out. He took one more deep breath before returning to the apartment. 

When he got back to his room, Jaemin was asleep next to Mark who had his face buried in Jaemin’s neck. Something in Jeno soured at the sight of his mate wrapped in their friend’s embrace, but he pushed it down and returned to the couch to wait for Yoonoh.

True to his word, there was a knock on the door ten minutes later. Jeno got up and opened the door to see Yoonoh standing there looking as if he had run the entire way up the stairs. Which, Jeno thought, was a possibility because he always rushed when Mark needed him. Yoonoh began to take care of Mark not long after he lost his parents in a car accident when he was fifteen at the time. He was a close family friend and Mark grew up calling him ahjussi. 

Yoonoh walked into the apartment and headed straight for Jeno and Jaemin’s room as Jeno trailed behind him. They found both Mark and Jaemin sitting up and more tears spilled from Mark’s eyes. They looked up as Yoonoh and Jeno walked in and Mark’s face crumpled as he reached out for Yoonoh. He found himself wrapped up in his ahjussi’s arms. He rocked them back and forth as Mark sobbed in his shoulder. Jaemin looked up and Jeno with fear in his eyes. Jeno gestured for Jaemin to follow him out of the room to give the two some privacy. They walked out as Yoonoh began muttering “It’ll be okay, pup. Everything will be okay.”

“I’ve never seen him that bad. I don’t think I’ve ever seen Mark cry before.” Jaemin shook his head. “This has happened to plenty of people. Why is he taking it so hard?” Jaemin wondered out loud. Jeno shrugged.

“I don’t know why, but we have to figure it out. Yoonoh Hyung might know.” Jeno guided Jaemin to the couch and sat. Jaemin rested his head on Jeno’s shoulder. They sat there and mindlessly watched TV for over an hour before Mark appeared. He looked like a wreck, but he had stopped crying. 

“Hi,” He whispered as he sat next to Jeno on the couch. They remained silent, waiting for Mark to speak. Mark cleared his throat. “Today as I was leaving work, I was rushing to my car because of the rain. I wasn’t really paying too much attention, so I didn’t really look up at the guy I was passing by until I smelt it. His scent was like honey and sunshine. But when I turned around to say something, he was gone. I don’t know how he managed to disappear so quickly, but he had to have smelt me, right? Which means he just ignored me. He has to know that I’m his mate.” Mark let out a shuddering sigh. “I’m not even sure why it hit me so hard. I know that anyone would be upset, but why am I acting like this?” He wondered out loud. 

“I was wondering the same thing,” Jeno said. “ This situation has happened to many people before, but I’ve never really heard of someone reacting so badly to the situation. Besides, it might be a misunderstanding. What if he’s human? Their sense of smell is  _ horrible _ .” Jaemin let out a laugh and nodded. Mark cracked a small smile. 

“I don’t know. I just know that it felt like my heart had been ripped out of my chest when I turned around and he wasn’t there. It was almost like he hadn’t been there in the first place. He was just  _ gone _ . So I came home. I didn’t know what else to do. Ahjussi said he would put the word out that I found my mate. He said that he would try his best to-”

“-look for a stranger who smells like honey and sunshine. Yeah.” Yoonoh walked out of the room on the phone. He gave the boys a quick dimpled smile. “No, I’m not sure what he looks like. Hmm? Probably around Mark’s height. Yeah. You do?” Yoonoh smiled wide and listened for a moment before the smile dropped and he paled. He looked at the boys. “Are you definitely sure?” It was silent for a moment. “There has to be someone else, right?” More silence as he waited for a moment. All eyes were on Yoonoh. He swore under his breath and sighed. “Give me all the information on him. Yeah, everything. I  _ don’t care _ . Just get it done.” He was silent for a moment and took a deep breath. “Call Youngho Hyung. Let him know.” Yoonoh hung up the phone and looked at them.

“Hyung?” Jaemin called out. Yoonoh turned to look at Mark.

“I’m so sorry,” Yoonoh whispered to him. “I’m so, so sorry little one.”

  
  


Introduction Part 2 - Donghyuck

Donghyuck had been alive for many years. More than he was willing to admit (and it’s rude to ask a vampire for their age, thank you very much). He had been in a few relationships throughout his many years but assumed he would never really find a life partner who could deal with his personality. Donghyuck is a loud, brash, energetic, and clingy person. Most people thought that he was too much work for their tastes. They couldn’t deal with his constant need for skinship and affection. So, he gave up trying to find someone who would love him, and instead found people to warm his bed for a night. Maybe he wasn’t worth a relationship. Maybe he would always be lonely. Maybe that was his destiny. 

  
  


_**DONGHYUCK** _

Today sucked. It absolutely sucked. It had started out great but quickly devolved into a mess. Donghyuck woke with a headache and the sun shining on him and his headache increased as he showered and began to groom himself for the day’s errands. It got even worse when he opened his fridge and found that  _ he was out of blood packs _ . Shit. There was no time to stop by the main house and pick up a pack or two. He had three meetings to get to, one of which would be at the busiest cafe in the city.  _ Great _ . A sigh left his lips as he grabbed his keys. 

The first meeting wasn’t as bad as he had feared it would be. Taeil was a human who helped obtain the blood packs his coven needed to survive. Unlike the rest of the Faction, a group of vampire hating groupies in Donghyuck’s opinion, Taeil had realized that vampires weren’t the monsters that they were made out to be. Sure there are bad people in every group, but Donhyuck’s coven was a no-nonsense type of coven. No feeding without express consent between partners. They mostly feed on the packs they got from Taeil. He and Taeil had been haggling for a few weeks, but in the end, Taeil had agreed to cut the price 10% and Donghyuck counted that as win number one. 

The second meeting wasn’t as easy. Donghyuck’s coven, named NCT U, shared Seoul with another coven named EXO. Exo held the majority of Seoul as their territory and Donghyuck was hoping to obtain more territory. Junmyeon gave him a ton of grief as always and Donghyuck almost lost his temper. Thankfully he managed to keep from losing it and eventually managed to negotiate for a lot more territory than he expected. Two wins for the day. He took a deep breath and sighed in relief as another worry was lifted off of his shoulders. Maybe his day wouldn’t be that bad. 

His day really went to shit when he approached the cafe for his third and last meeting of the day. He parked his car relatively far from the entrance (he didn’t want to risk it getting scratched. His Lexus is his baby.) and noticed that it had started to rain.  _ Fuck, _ there was no umbrella in his car. It took a moment of hesitation when he decided that the best thing to do would be to just run through the rain. It wasn’t raining too hard, so he figured it wouldn’t drench him too much. 

As he ran to the cafe, he passed by a cute guy. He was wearing a button-up white shirt and black jeans. They looked great on him, he thinks as they approach each other. As they brushed past each other, Donhyuck caught a scent off of the guy. Suddenly, his gums ached as he fought the urge to turn around and sink his fangs in the pretty guy’s neck. The guy smelled like watermelon and sunshine and Donghyuck wanted nothing more than to taste him. His urge to turn and sink his teeth into the boy flared in his chest. His throat felt  _ so _ dry. He just needed a drink. One drink. One drink from the boy who smelt  _ so good _ . He knew that he was quickly running out of willpower. So, he ran as fast as he could away from the tempting smell of the boy. 

He continued to run until he reached his coven’s main house. He burst through the doors and ran down into the basement where they kept the fridge. He tore into four blood packs before he felt satisfied enough to stop. When he turned around, he noticed Renjun staring at him concerned. Renjun’s eyes trailed down and his brows furrowed. Donghyuck glanced down to see that in his haste to feed, he had made a huge mess. His front was covered in blood. Donghyuck looked up at him, eyes watering. Renjun’s eyes softened as he approached Donghyuck. There was a moment of silence before Donghyuck burst into tears and recounted the event. Renjun listened as he rubbed soothing circles on his back. When Donghyuck was finished, Renjun guided him upstairs and into the bathroom. The water was turned on as Donghyuck prepared to take a shower. Renjun took the clothes from his hands and gestured towards the shower. 

“Take a shower, Hyuck. I’ll grab you some clothes and a warm cup. I’ll call Taeyong Hyung, too.” Donghyuck nodded. “You’ll be okay. I promise.” He whispered as he left the room. Donhyuck stepped into the shower and stood under the water with his head down as tears leaked from his eyes once more. It had been hundreds of years since he last felt such an urge to feed on someone. He had been particularly bad at impulse control and had taken a fair amount of lives as a result. Years passed as he lived in a dark era of his life. Taeyong had been the one to rip him out of the darkness and set him on a better path. He shook his head and leaned it back to put his face in the water. 

He took a long shower and found that there were clothes waiting for him as he got out. A simple black t-shirt, black jeans, and a comfy black cardigan are what Renjun brought him. A chuckle left his lips as he dressed in all black, feeling very much like the vampire that he was. He left the bathroom and wandered to the kitchen where he heard Renjun humming a soft tune. He raised his hand to push open the door but hesitated for a moment. 

“Don’t just stand out there, Hyuck,” Renjun muttered. Donghyuck closed his eyes and took a deep breath before opening the door and stepping through. Renjun stood there, eyes soft with a mug in his hand. He stretched his arm out and offered the mug to Donghyuck. A quick glance told Donghyuck that the mug was full of his favorite, O Negative. A smile quirked on his face as he accepted the mug and brought it up to his mouth. The drink slid down his throat smoothly and warmed him. “Do you want to talk about it?”

“There isn’t anything to talk about.” Donghyuck rasped back. He cleared his throat before continuing. “I don’t know what happened. I couldn’t explain even if I wanted to.” He shook his head. “I haven’t felt hunger that intense since I turned. It was like- like his blood was calling for me. It sounds weird when I say it out loud, but it’s true. The blood in his veins called out to me.” Renjun stood there with his brows furrowed. 

“I’ve never heard of that happening outside of hunger-induced bloodlust, Hyuck. I almost want to ask if you’re sure that’s what you felt.” He let out a dry chuckle. “Anyways, I called Taeyong Hyung. He should be here anytim-” He was cut off by the sound of someone barging through the front door.

“Where is my baby?” Taeyong cried out. Renjun giggled into his own mug that Donghyuck hadn’t noticed before. 

“He’s in here, Hyung!” Renjun called out before giggling into his mug once again. Donghyuck glared at his best friend for ratting him out. Taeyong was great when he wasn’t smothering Donghyuck and acting like he hasn’t been running the coven for the last  _ two hundred fifty years _ . Taeyong burst through the door and wrapped Donghyuck in the tightest hug he had ever received in his three hundred sixty-eight years on the Earth. If he were alive, his heart would have warmed. Taeyong pulled back after what seemed like years and looked at his swollen eyes. 

“What happened? Renjun only told me that you almost lost control.” Taeyong’s brows furrowed as he searched Donghyuck’s face. 

“I don’t understand what happened honestly,” Donghyuck whispered. “One minute I’m fine and on my way to my meeting with Irene Noona from the Red Velvet coven based in Jeju, and the next minute I’m passing this hot guy who smells like watermelon and  _ sunshine _ .” His voice raises and breaks. “ _ Who the hell smells like sunshine _ ?” He demands hysterically. “The worst part is that I don’t just want to sink my damn fangs into him, I want to hold him and protect him. Which makes no damn sense because  _ I don’t know who he is _ !” He sinks to the floor with his hands grasping at the sides of his head. He’s gasping and sobbing uncontrollably. Renjun moves forward to embrace the boy but Taeyong shakes his head. He’s quiet for a moment before he crouches in front of Donghyuck. He puts his hands on top of the younger’s and lets out a shuddering breath. 

“Oh, baby. I’m so sorry you have to go through this.” He whispers as he brings the distressed boy in for a hug. “I know what’s happening, and I’m so sorry. I’m so sorry baby.” 


	2. I Can't Make You Love Me If You Don't

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Sometimes things can be hard to accept.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hello! Here is chapter two! I hope you like it, and as always, you can request your on story by DMing me on twitter @bycaliforjohnny !

**_MARK_ **

“What do you mean, you know what’s happening?” Jeno demanded. Yoonoh looked troubled and afraid.

“Sit down.” He gestured towards the couch. Mark sat to the left of Jaemin as Yoonoh moved to stand in front of them. “Let’s start with the phone call I just made.” They all nodded but stayed silent, waiting for the details. “I have friends who know just about everyone in the city. Friends who keep track of all of the supernatural creatures that roam Seoul. They keep track of full names, species, and scents. I asked them to keep an eye out for anyone with the description you gave me, and they knew who it was immediately.” He trailed off and stared at Mark. His eyes were soft as fear shone in them. 

“Who-” Mark cleared his throat. “Who is he?” Yoonoh looked down. 

“His name is Lee Donghyuck. He’s 20 years old. He’s been 20 for…” He sighs, “Many years.”

“What.. do you mean?” Mark asks slowly. Yoonoh clears his throat. 

“Each person has a unique scent, right?” The boys nod their heads. “For example, what does Jeno smell like?”

“He smells woodsy and smoky.” Jaemin pipes up. Jeno turns and smiles at him. 

“And Jaemin smells like peach and mint.” Jeno returns. Yoonoh smiles. 

“Exactly. What does Mark smell like?” Yoonoh turns to look at Jeno and Jaemin.

“He smells like watermelon to me,” Jaemin says. Jeno nods in agreement.

“He smells the same to me. Jaemin smells like mint to me, and Jeno smells woodsy. Why do you think that is?” Yoonoh asks. 

“Because the second scent is the mating scent?” Mark asks.

“Yes, exactly.” Yoonoh smiles. 

“That still doesn’t explain what you meant about Donghyuck, Hyung,” Jeno says. Yoonoh’s smile dims.

“Donghyuck is…” He sighs and brushes a hand down his face.” Donghyuck is a vampire. He’s been 20 since 1672….” He trails off as they all stare at Mark. The color has drained out of his face, and it doesn’t seem like he’s breathing. Jaemin shifts and puts his hands on Mark’s face. He turns his head so that he can see into his eyes. 

“Mark. Hyung. Are you okay?” Jaemin asked, worried. Mark’s face begins to turn red as he holds his breath. “Mark! Mark, you need to breathe!” Jaemin yells as he shakes Mark. A tear leaks down Mark’s face as he takes in a deep, shuddering breath. Jaemin puts his arms around the boy and draws him in for a tight hug. “Hyung, what’s wrong?”

“I can’t…” He trails off. 

“Can’t what?” Jeno asks. 

“I can’t- we can’t- Wolves and vamps aren’t meant to be together! He can’t possibly be my mate! The universe can’t be so  _ cruel _ to me.” Mark sobs into Jaemin’s chest. Yoonoh watched as the boy he raised like a son breaks down. He sighs as he moves to crouch in front of him. 

“Mark. Mark, I need you to listen to me. I have something I need to tell you.” Mark sniffled but calmed down enough to pull back and look at his uncle. “I met my mate almost four hundred fifty years ago.” The boys stare at him without blinking as they try to process what they had heard. It’s deathly quiet for a moment before all three boys burst out with comments. 

“What do you mean four-”

“That’s not possi-”

“Wolves don’t live that lo-”

“Enough!” Yoonoh barks out. The boys jump back and quiet down in shock. “I’m sorry, little ones. What I said is true. I met my mate before Donghyuck was even born. I was twenty-three when I met Kim Dongyoung. Our mating was.. Difficult to say the least. I fought against it tooth and nail because the wolves teach you that the vampires are bad because they do not live. I learned the hard way that you can’t always believe what you hear. It- My-” He shudders. “My denial almost cost us our lives. I don’t want that to happen to you, little one.” He drew Mark in for a hug. “The intense reaction you had makes sense now. The bond in a vampire-wolf is stronger to compensate. It’s harder for the wolf because as wolves, they are raised with the knowledge of the bond. They know what to expect. Vampires do not. They are unaware of how extraordinary the bond is and its impact on those who experience it.”

“What if I don’t want it?” Mark asks, voice cold and distant. They stared at him. 

“Why wouldn’t you want the bond? Why wouldn’t you want your mate? You’ve been waiting for this since your mother told you about mates!” Jaemin asked as he began to pace. “You can’t possibly tell me that you suddenly don’t want a mate.” Jeno moved towards Jaemin and pulled him into a hug. He settled and took a deep breath. 

“I don’t want a vampire for a mate,” Mark said simply. Silence filled the air as everyone stopped to stare at him. 

“Mark,” Jaemin whispered. “Mark, you’ve always wanted a mate. You’ve been waiting forever for this moment.” It was silent as everyone waited to see what Jaemin would say. “Why does the species matter?”

“Because! It matters because it was a vampire that killed my parents!” Mark screamed. 

“No, a drunk driver killed your parents,” Yoonoh said as he moved to hug Mark. Mark pushed his back and threw his hands up in the air. 

“That driver wasn’t drunk off of alcohol. He was high off of vamp venom. It’s their  _ fault _ .” He screamed as tears ran down his face. “It’s their fault that my parents are gone!” 

“You can’t blame all of them for the actions of one. That’s far too ignorant and hateful. And you are neither ignorant nor hateful.” Yoonoh said. He rubbed at his eyes. Mark shook his head and swept past them into his room. The door slammed behind him, and music began to play over the speakers in his room. 

“He only listens to SYML when he knows we’re right,” Jeno said. A dry chuckle left his lips. “I didn’t know that the guy who hit his parents was on vamp venom.”

“It was supposed to be a secret. The vamps apologized profusely and even offered to pay all of Mark’s expenses for the rest of his life. They had a good relationship with his parents, but have kept their distance for fear of upsetting him. I don’t know how he found out, though. I’ll have to ask Xuxi if he knows how Mark found out.” Yoonoh smiled. “At least he found his mate. I’m just not sure how this is going to work out. Donghyuck is the Coven Leader and has been around for many years.”

“Wait.  _ Xuxi _ knew, but we didn’t? Why was it kept from us?” Jaemin exclaimed. 

“Because it’s a huge secret, and I didn’t want you to have to keep it from your best friend, Jaemin. That wouldn’t have been fair to you nor Mark.”

“He has a point, Nana.” Jeno rubbed his face. “I think we should take a break for the day. I don’t think we can get through to Mark right now. A nap sounds like a great idea right now.” The other two nodded. “Let’s go, Nana. Hyung, you’re welcome to stay in the guest room. The bed is all made up.” Yoonoh nodded. Jeno reached for Jaemin’s hand and dragged them to their room. 

“Do you think Mark will accept his mate?” Jaemin asked in a small voice.

“I don’t know. I’ve never seen him so upset, so I’m not sure what he’s going to do.”

“For his sake, I hope that he accepts him. Wolves can’t live without their mates.”

“I do too. Let’s get some sleep.” Jeno jumped on the bed and gestured for Jaemin to join him. Jaemin leaped onto the bed and landed on Jeno, who groaned. After a bit of shuffling, Jaemin decided he wanted to be the little spoon. His back was to Jeno, who held him in a tight embrace. “I love you, Na Jaemin.” He whispered into Jarmin’s ear. “I love you more than anything in this world. Don’t forget that.” Jaemin felt tears prick at his eyes.

“I’ll always love you. No matter what, Nono. I will always love you.” As they drifted off, Yoonoh closed their door and barged into Mark’s room. 

“What-”

“Sit up. I have a story to tell you.” Yoonoh sat down on Mark’s desk chair that was across the room. 

“I don’t want to hear a story,” Mark muttered like a child. 

“I didn’t ask if you wanted to hear a story. I said to listen to me. Stop acting like a child for a moment. Very few people know the story I am about to tell you.” Yoonoh ran a hand down his face. Mark sat up and looked at him with intrigue. “I was born in 1435. My single mother raised me. My father died in some petty war. I lived with her until I was twenty. At twenty, I moved into a house further away from the town. I liked being so far from the center of town because I didn’t get along with a few people my age, and I disliked the hustle and bustle of town life. Who knew I would end up living in a city twelve times the size of that little town?” He chuckled. “About six months after I moved, a man visited the town. I hadn’t met him as he rarely came out to the edges of town, and I rarely visited the center of town where the little Inn resided. Eventually, I had to stop by the shop in town to get some materials to fix my window, so I made my way to town. I liked to walk the long way because I enjoyed the fresh air. As I was coming up on the materials shop, I passed by the most gorgeous man I had ever seen. His skin was pale and almost flawless. He had wide eyes that held a touch of mischief. When he looked at me, everything changed.”

“What changed?” Mark asked. Yoonoh chuckled.

“My entire world changed kiddo. He held the world in his eyes and my heart in his hands. I hadn’t spoken to him yet, but I knew that he was the one. That was until I realized later on what he was. I was devastated. Our kind doesn’t usually mate with anyone outside of the species save for a few humans here or there. Back then, wolves weren’t as understood and accepted, so we had to hide for the most part. I didn’t know what I was until that moment. He triggered my inner wolf and started my very first transformation. He knew what was happening to me, so he grabbed the nearest horse and pulled me on with him. He rode until we were miles outside of the town before setting me down near a river. It took me three hours to complete my first change.”

“Wait, you can change?” Mark asked in awe.

“Yes, I can. Most wolves these days have no need to change, so they aren’t shown how to. However, I did. I changed because of him. We didn’t understand why he triggered my change at first. We thought it was because of the feud that our species had just absolved. We were so very wrong. It didn’t take long for our bond to grow stronger. In just a few short weeks, he physically could not be away from me for more than a few hours. It got so bad that we rarely went into the town because it was easier for us to stay at my house.”

“Will… Will it get that bad for me?” Mark asked, voice soft. 

“It will. It will physically hurt. There was once a time when Dongyoung stayed too long in the town. He had officially moved into the town, and everyone knew he was staying with me. He had kept back after a shift at the local market by his boss because a customer had accidentally knocked over a stand containing apples. Many of them were bruised. They wouldn’t sell. His boss kept him for over an hour, just shouting at him. The separation got to be too much and Dongyoung had to be carried to me because the pain was so intense.”

“What is the pain like?”

“It’s like someone drove a hot poker into your heart and twisted. That’s the best way I can describe the pain. The pain lessened the closer he got, but it took about three hours of constant skinship to dispel the pain altogether. That was the day we decided that it was too much. We paid a visit to my mother. We explained everything and hoped that she would believe us. She told me that day that she knew what I was and had hoped I would never realize it. We were the only wolves in the town. She explained the concept of mates and thought that we could be mates. Yet, there had never been a documented case of a vampire and wolf mating. However, there were whispers. Whispers of a wolf who mated a very powerful vampire. Lucky for us, they were supposedly spotted in a town five days north of us. We immediately set off to try and find them. It wasn’t as hard as we had feared it would be. The whole town was buzzing about the angel who arrived in town with another man.” Yoonoh chuckled. “In a way, they were right. Taeyong is beautiful enough and kind enough to be an angel.”

“Was he a wolf or a vampire?” Mark asked. 

“He was a vampire. More importantly, he was a vampire with a mate. Youngho, his mate, was head alpha once upon a time just as you are now. They sought me out once word had reached them that another inhumanly beautiful man had arrived in town. It was a whirlwind of emotions from then on. Youngho took me aside as Taeyong spoke with Dongyoung and explained everything I needed to know. It was hard to accept at first. It was such a rare phenomenon. I didn’t know how to accept it. But the hardest part was that it wouldn’t change until we mated. It was the universe’s way of making sure we completed the bond.”

“Wait. You’re saying I have to like… Complete the bond, or else?”

“Yes. You will. It will physically hurt to be away from him. There is nothing you can do about it.”

“What if I ignore it?”

“Then you will not only subject yourself to that pain but also another person who does not understand what is happening. It isn’t fair to either of you to let ignorance keep you from loving someone.”

Mark sighed. “What happened after they told you that you guys had to mate?”

“We didn’t want to at first. I had fallen for Dongyoung and his goofy, bunny-shaped smiles. He was everything I had wanted and more. He was perfect. I didn’t want to pressure him into something I felt was my fault, so I said no. It caused a rift between us, and we tried to separate. We spent two months in agony before I sought him out and confessed to the feelings I had hidden. He returned my feelings, and we mated. It was the best feeling in the world. Completing the bond was… heaven. It wasn’t like anything I had ever felt before.” Yoonoh paused and stared off to the distance. 

“What happened to him? And… how are you still alive?”

“About a hundred years ago, The Faction found out about our mating. You know they hate vampires. They felt like I had been taken advantage of by him, and they… He’s gone. But part of mating with the vampires is immortality. You take on their immortality.”

“What? Ho-how?” Mark sputtered. 

“Essentially, it’s like this: completing the mating links your souls together. It was said that the goddess who created us gave us half a soul. We are meant to search the world and find our other half. Once we mate, the soul repairs itself. We become one. Death rips the soul apart once more. Not many survive without the other half of their soul.”

“How did you survive?”

“I’m unsure. Your parents helped me a lot when I met them almost sixty years ago. They kept me going and gave me a purpose. I am grateful that they did. But I hope that you decide to at least give him a chance before you decide that you don’t want him solely because of a misguided view of his species.”

Mark deflated a little and nodded. “I’ll try. I don’t even know where he is, where I can find him, or what his number is.” Yoonoh smiled and stood. He crossed the room and wrapped Mark in a hug. When he pulled back, he reached out and handed Mark a slip of paper. 

“The person I called earlier was Taeyong. Once I explained what was happening, he gave me Donghyuck’s number and asked that I pass it along. Apparently,” He chuckled. “Donghyuck is a bit of a handful. I wish you luck, Mark.” Mark grinned.

“I like ‘em feisty.” They both laughed and hugged once more. 

“Get some sleep, little lion. You’ll need our rest. I’ll stay for a few days before heading back to my apartment.” Mark nodded and shuffled back to get under the covers. Once he was tucked in, Yoonoh turned the lights off and left the room. 

Mark stared up at the ceiling as he thought through everything his uncle had told him. The thoughts whirled around his brain as he contemplated his next move. Slowly but surely, his eyes drooped, and he fell into a fitful sleep. 

___________________________________________

  
  


**_DONGHYUCK_ **

“What do you mean, you know what’s happening? I’m fine. I was so overly hungry that I almost attacked a really nice smelling guy in front of a cafe.” Donghyuck chuckled. “That’s all it is, Hyungie.” Taeyong gave him a look of pity. 

“Hyuckie, I got a call today from an old acquaintance who told me about what happened. There’s more to the story than you think.” Taeyong attempted a smile. It looked more like a grimace. 

“Hyung, I’m fine. I’m telling you that you’re reading too much into this. I was just startled because I had such a strong reaction to this random guy on the street. That’s really all there is. I cried about it because I haven’t had such a strong reaction since I was turned. I’m alright now, Hyung. You don’t have to worry!” Donghyuck gave him a grin. 

“Hyuckie, at first, I thought that was all it was. I got a call today from an ancient friend. His name is Jung Yoonoh. You might not have heard of him because he’s a wolf. His nephew is the Head Alpha of the NCT 127 and the poor soul you almost ate. He had a very interesting reaction to your meeting. Yoonoh went to meet with him and sent me a text afterward.”

“What did it say?” Donghyuck asked. 

“Yoonoh thinks that you are Mark’s mate.” Donghyuck was silent as Taeyong searched his face for any sort of emotion. 

“He thinks  _ what _ ?” Donghyuck demanded. 

“He thinks you’re Mark’s ma-”

“That’s impossible, Hyung. I’m a  _ vampire _ . Us vamps don’t get mates. Sure we can find an eternal partner, but not a mate. That’s just… That’s not possible.”

“It’s a lot more possible than you think,” Taeyong says softly. 

“No.  _ No, _ it’s not. It’s not possible, and it’s not  _ natural _ .”

“Donghyuck,” Taeyong says sharply. “That’s enough.”

“Hyung, why are you insisting on this nonsense? It’s not possible! It can’t happen. Stop making things up.”

“Donghyuck! I will not sit here and allow you to call my mating unnatural.” Taeyong’s eyes were dark and stormy.

“Wait; what?”

“I have not shared this information with you because I did not believe you were ready. However, I thought you might be more open to the idea after this, but it seems you are not.”

“Wait, Hyung. What are you talking about? What mating?”

“Many years ago, not long after I was turned, I met Youngho. Long story short, we found out that we were mates and we mated. I refuse to divulge how old I truly am, but know that I am older than most the vampires that roam this earth. I am one of the originals.” Taeyong let out a sharp sigh.

“That’s it? Are you not going to tell me the whole story? You’re just going to leave it at that?”

“That depends. Are you ready to hear the whole story, or am I going to have to listen to you continue to demean my relationship with my mate?”

Donghyuck had the decency to look sorry. “Sorry, Hyung. I’m just- I’m trying to process this. I’m not trying to be mean. I just… I never wanted to find a life partner, let alone find that I am mated to a boy hundreds of years younger than me. How am I supposed to process that? How am I supposed to believe that someone so full of life can be tied to someone whose life was ripped from them?” A tear leaked down his face. “How can I, in good conscience, allow someone to mate me knowing that they won’t live as long as I will?”

“That’s where you’re wrong, Hyuckie. He will live as long as you do. His life will be tied to yours once you complete the mating. Just as Youngho’s was tied to mine.” Taeyong smiled. There was a buzz from Taeyong’s phone. He looked down at it and smiled. He replied to the text and put his phone back in his back pocket. 

“Wait, wait, wait. You’re telling me that he will live forever? That his life will last as long as mine does? How is that even possible?”

“I’m not entirely sure. I just know that I met Youngho three hundred and fifty years after I was turned, and he hasn’t aged a day since we mated.” A knock sounded at the door. “Speak of the wolf, and he shall appear,” Taeyong grinned. He sped to the door and threw it open to reveal a giant of a man. The man grinned and stooped down to press a kiss to Taeyong’s forehead. He leaned forward to whisper into his ear, and Taeyong giggled. The man straightened and turned to look at Donghyuck and Renjun. 

“Hello. I am Youngho, ex-Head Alpha of the NCT 127 Pack and mate to Lee Taeyong. It’s nice to meet you.”

“Hello, Youngho-ssi. You’re a lot taller than I expected.” Renjun jokes. Donghyuck lets out a small giggle and nods. 

“Way taller. Hyungie is tall but damn.” Donghyuck gestures for them to follow him. “Let’s go to the living room. I want to sit before I get a crick in my neck from looking up at your giant, Hyungie.” Renjun laughed as he made his way to the couch. He pats the spot next to him, and Donghyuck drops into it. He shifted so he could lean into Renjun, who put an arm around him. Donghyuck cuddles into him and looks at Taeyong, who sits on the couch across from them. 

“Well, this is my mate. My one and only. My tall, handsome man.” He grins. Donghyuck makes a face and mimes throwing up. Renjun giggles, and Taeyong glares at them until they settle. “Now, in all seriousness, this is the man I mated many moons ago.”

“Can’t you just give us a proper time frame instead of being dramatic, Hyung?” Donghyuck interjects.

“I refuse to tell you what my actual age is, you brat. Deal with it.” He glares. Renjun nudged Donghyuck, and he sighs but mimes zipping his mouth closed. “Good. Now, where was I?” He asks.

“The beginning, my love. Allow me.” Taeyong nods. “My name is Seo Youngho and I met Taeyong when I was twenty-seven. I had been Head Alpha for three years by then. I had been searching far and wide for my mate because as Head Alpha, it is required of you to produce an heir. Otherwise, one will be chosen for you. We are taught from an early age. The Head Alpha begins searching for his mate at the age of twenty-one if he has not yet found them. I searched for six years before stumbling upon him during a party that one of the socialites from a small town threw. She had been hoping to impress Taeyong and entice him to join her in bed. She was unaware that Taeyong was more inclined towards men and continued to throw herself at him. However, I smelled him the moment I walked into the room. He smelled like lavender and spice. It was addicting, and I wandered the party looking for him. It took me three hours to find him, and even then, it was a coincidence. I was being introduced to the same socialite by her father when Taeyong accidentally twirled her into me. I caught her on reflex, and her father decided that I should marry her because I saved her. I was bewildered, but it came to light later on that she had been such a pain to her father that he truly just wanted to marry her off and never deal with her again. Taeyong is still jealous to this day.” Youngho chuckled as Taeyong’s face turned stony. He plants a kiss on Taeyong’s cheek and whispers a soft ‘I love you’ in his ear. 

“You guys look happy,” Donghyuck mutters. He gives them a weak smile before shifting even closer to Renjun. 

“I am happier than I have ever been,” Youngho responded. Renjun made a face, fake gagged, and Donghyuck giggled as Taeyong glared at them. 

“Anyways, what happened next?” Donghyuck asked. 

“I told the man that I couldn’t marry her as someone else held my heart. He demanded to know who and Taeyong stepped up and yelled, ‘I am!’ in the man’s face. It was hilarious, honestly. Taeyong didn’t understand why he had such a strong connection to me. He just staked a claim. It didn’t take long to figure out that we shouldn’t have been compatible. He was dead and I was alive. Yet I knew that he was it. We spent many years traveling and trying to find the answer to the problem we faced. All we got were stories. Stories of the last time a pair like us had been together. They…” He sighed. “They were burned alive for their mating. We were warned that humans might come for us. We eventually stopped looking and accepted that we might be the only ones. I resigned, and my successor was chosen. We spent the time from then until now, always moving. We never stayed in one place for too long. Now that we no longer need to hide, we have chosen to settle down here in Seoul. There are others like us—two more couples. Yoonoh is here, but Kun isn’t. Perhaps you should meet Yoonoh and Kun before making your decision.”

“There’s just one issue. I’m technically  _ dead _ .” Donghyuck stressed. 

“I didn’t mind, and I don’t think that Mark will either. You shouldn’t make that decision for him. This impacts both of your lives. It’s selfish to pretend otherwise.” Youngho said gently. It was silent for a moment while everyone contemplated the story that Youngho had told. 

“You didn’t give me much to go on, but I think I’ll meet this Mark before I decide anything. I still think this was nothing more than an overreaction, but fine.” They all smiled. 

“Let me call Yoonoh. The sooner, the better.” Taeyong got up and walked out of the room.

“He worries about you guys,” Youngho says. “He often frets about the struggles you might encounter being head of the coven. You seem to be holding up well, though.” 

“It’s a lot, but I’m managing. I wish he wouldn’t worry so much. It’s been several hundred years since I took over.” He giggles. “I’m not a baby anymore.”

“That’s not the point!” Taeyong shrieks as he enters the room. Renjun stifles a laugh as Taeyong glares at them. “Anyways,” He sends a pointed glare at Donghyuck. “Get ready. We have a meeting to get to.”

“Wait; what?” Renjun says. “That soon?” He asks.

“Yeah, that soon. Let’s go.” He pauses for a second. “Renjun, perhaps you should stay behind.” Renjun’s eyes widened.

“Wait, no. I hav-”

“ _ No _ . You are staying behind.” Taeyong’s voice was firm. Renjun deflated, and Donghyuck’s heart squeezed. “Let’s go.  _ Now. _ ” Donghyuck idly wonders why this is so important to Taeyong. He looks at Renjun and shrugs before moving to follow him. He follows them to a sleek car. It’s an Audi RS 5 in  _ red _ and Donghyuck drools before he glares at Taeyong. 

“Hyung, the backseat is  _ small _ !” He whines as he gets in. Taeyong grins before getting in himself. 

The trip takes them about ten minutes. Donghyuck recognizes the building they pull up to. He remembers wanting to buy the property but losing out to another buyer. 

Taeyong gets out first. He flits up to the door and knocks lightly. Donghyuck and Youngho take their time getting out. As they walk up to the door, it opens to reveal an attractive man with deep dimples. They smile and laugh as they greet each other before Youngho approaches and lifts the man into a bear hug. They speak lowly for a moment before beckoning Donghyuck over. He ambles up the walkway and raises a hand and gives them a small wave. 

“Hello, Donghyuck. I’m Yoonoh. It’s nice to meet you.” He gestures for them to enter. “Come in. Let’s talk.” 


End file.
